Barraq Chants The Tune Of The Wind
The crew of Barraq helmed by Rashid Mohd. Rashid Al Rumaithi started chanting before they crossed the finish line as winners in the first heat of the Dubai Traditional 60ft Dhow Sailing Championships that ended beneath the Burj Al Arab. The chanting trend continued as Al Wasef with skipper Mohammed Hamad Al Ghashaish and his crew closed in taking second place. High spirits took over after a painfully slow start turned in to a wild race as the fleet reached the top of Palm Jumeirah and the wind strengthened making boats furl their second sail and redistribute crew and sand bags (the traditional ballast) as they were over powered.
The winning boat forms part of a dhow sailing dynasty with many family members sailing their own dhows and in this race they worked as a group to ensure a family win. It was a tough race for the crews who spent the second half of the race straining to get their body weight as far over the side of he boat as possible for balance against the strengthening wind and without the trappings of the modern sailing equipment, which the traditional rules prevent, it is not an easy task. The next heat will be the Presidents Cup in Abu Dhabi on March 13th.